Years ago, a friend and I had a conversation about Imposter Syndrome, that gnawing dread that we did not belong in our respective programs. We didn't feel that we were as smart as our classmates; we were afraid that our professors would hate our research. At some point in every graduate student's career they will have those same anxieties. Thankfully my friend had a cure whenever she was filled with doubt. As she told me, everyone studying in graduate school is the world's leading expert in something.

That is true. Graduate school will inevitably involve conducting some kind of original research, even if part of a lab or larger project. That means you will spend more time than any other person on the planet understanding one particular dataset, or phenomenon, or the works of an obscure author. I am the world's leading expert on the prehistory of a small part of a valley on the central coast of Peru. My friend was the world's leading expert in how fruit fly olfactory organs develop during their larval stage. (She is now one of the world's leading experts in how slave labor impacts the supply chain, which is to say she is a true renaissance woman.) Her husband is one of the world's leading experts on historical fiction produced during the Ming Dynasty. We have another friend that was the world's leading expert on how electrons behave in ultra cold temperatures. We all have our talents.

That kind of investment in something so esoteric can seem like utter insanity to most people, but having that knowledge is rewarding. Sure there is an ego boost to knowing more than the person next to you, but finishing a post-graduate degree has practical benefits too. Regardless of what field you go into, you will learn invaluable research skills. Beyond knowing how to excavate a 3,000 year old temple, I learned how to synthesize different types of information, search through large databases for relevant literature on a subject and understand the limitations in the data I had collected. These are marketable skills that you can take to other fields of work. And in general, these are all skills that require a high level of critical thinking.

Something that you may have noticed while studying for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT is that they all test your ability to think critically. The ability to analyze data to draw your own conclusion is crucial to succeeding in any graduate program and future career. Critical thinking is an essential skill for whatever career you choose to pursue. And beyond being a master of your own field, you also have the skills to approach a new topic or subject outside of your area of expertise. You can use this ability to make informed decisions about your personal life, be able to debunk hoaxes, and have a sharper eye for the world around you.

Having the drive for a graduate degree of any kind also requires passion. Working on a dissertation is a huge intellectual and emotional investment. But the passion you put into your research can (and should be) put into other things. I will describe the different styles of Andean pottery with the same vivid detail that I will apply to discussing the genius of Carly Rae Jepsen. I am not alone, as my advisor is a discerning fan of Bob Dylan. My friend's biology lab had multiple skilled bakers. D&D groups that form in graduate school are some of the most creative that you will find. This is equally true for people who go for legal and medical degrees; the same keen eye that makes my brother a successful trial lawyer also gives him a sharper perspective on MMA fights. The skills honed in your graduate studies can be used to appreciate the world around you.

In "This Is Water", David Foster Wallace meditates on the value of a liberal arts education. "Awareness of what is so real and essential," he says is the true value, " so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time." You will learn so much about one single subject, and that experience can also teach you about the world at large. We are often cautioned not to lose sight of the forest for the trees. That is to say not to lose sight of the big picture by focusing on one thing too much. But focusing on one tree can also make us appreciate the forest.